When is leftover turkey no longer safe to eat? What to know before Thanksgiving

You may be starting to piece together your Thanksgiving dinner menu. But what about the for the next few days that follow?

Leftovers are a tried and true part of the Thanksgiving experience. Health experts highlight how vital it is to make sure to follow health guidelines when it comes to storing those dishes for later consumption, though. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that foodborne illness causes 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths in the U.S. every year.

"Food safety is such an important topic at Thanksgiving, especially as Americans prepare to cook a large meal for large groups that they don’t often prepare," Meredith Carothers, MPH, a food safety public affairs specialist for the USDA, tells USA TODAY.

Here's how to make sure you're preserving those leftovers to safely consume for the next few days.

How long is leftover turkey good for?

Unless you're using a buffet warming tray that heats up to at least 140°F, your turkey leftovers should be put away in the refrigerator or freezer within two hours, according to Carothers. It should go in an airtight container, and, if frozen, should be reheated to at least 165°F before consuming, Washington, D.C.-based dietitian Caroline Thomason, RD, CDCES, tells USA TODAY.

"Thanksgiving leftovers are safe in the refrigerator for up to four days — until the Monday after Thanksgiving to eat them — or you can place them in the freezer to enjoy later," Carothers says. "If you store leftovers in the freezer, they will remain of best quality for up to two to six months."

That refrigeration rule extends to all other leftovers — we're talking mashed potatoes, gravy, mac and cheese and the rest of your Turkey Day lineup.

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What to do with leftover turkey

While we're all about eating Thanksgiving leftovers as-is the next day, James Beard Award-nominated chef Jerome Grant, along with Thomason, also offers plenty of ideas to make the same foods feel new again. Turkey is "so versatile as a lean protein," Thomason says, making it the perfect center of myriad recipes, including the ones below:

• Turkey and vegetable soup or stew: Throw in leftover veggies and herbs into a pot with a stock. Or if you're feeling ambitious, save the turkey carcass and simmer that to make stock from scratch.

• Turkey tacos with salsa and avocado

• Turkey sandwiches or wraps with sweet potato and cranberry sauce

• Turkey pot pie with vegetables, gravy and a flaky pie crust

• Breakfast hash with turkey and sweet potato

• Turkey fried rice topped with a fried egg and chili crisp

More: Why 'overindulging' at your Thanksgiving dinner isn't a big deal

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How long is leftover turkey good for?